Mar. 11, 2013

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Indiana's Victor Oladipo lies facedown as Derek Elston comes to help him up after the Hoosiers defeated Michigan 72-71 Sunday at the Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich. / Matt Kryger / The Star

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ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Now they can cut down nets. Now, if Indiana’s outright Big Ten champion basketball players want to go on a serial, state-wide, net-cutting spree, more power to them. Because they deserve the chance to celebrate, truly celebrate, and not like that strange, muted celebration they had after the Ohio State loss.

The Hoosiers, 72-71 winners over Michigan on Sunday, are Big Ten champs – lone Big Ten champs, and doesn’t that sound better than co-Big Ten champs? – because they never lost belief.

Because at the very end of a miraculous Big Ten season, they forged one more miracle for posterity, leaving Indiana fans with a 52-second-long memory that will last forever.

Because a basketball, tossed toward the goal by Michigan’s Jordan Morgan, danced merrily, tantalizingly on the rim, bouncing and bouncing four times, nearly five, before incredibly falling off, denying Michigan a game-winning shot in the final second.

How long did that sucker hang on there? Longer than it takes to read a Tolstoy novel.

“About two-and-a-half (hours), maybe three,’’ Victor Oladipo said, wearing his Big Ten championship hat low over his eyes. He paused, shook his head. “Wow. I’m kind of speechless, you know? It’s been a crazy ride. We’ve had our ups and downs, but this team comes together when we really need to.’’

Not to overstate things, but all this come-from-nowhere victory meant was everything.

With a loss, IU would have been losers of three of its last four games, would have been inundated with “What’s Wrong With IU?’’ stories, would have been in jeopardy of blowing a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

Instead, they are sitting pretty.

Whatever happens in the Big Ten Tournament, it’s fair to assume IU will be a No. 1 seed and will get to play in Dayton and Indianapolis on the way to the Final Four in Atlanta.

“I think you win this league and it’s the best league in the country, I would say so,’’ Crean said. “I think you win it outright with everything that’s gone on this season, yes, I think (IU deserves a No. 1 seed).’’

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As this is being written nearly two hours after the game, the question still lingers: How did this happen?

They were down, and seemingly out, with 52 seconds remaining, trailing by five points. They had just come off three lamentable possessions, a missed three-pointer by Jordan Hulls, a bad pass by Yogi Ferrell and a traveling call on Cody Zeller.

It was all falling apart.

Until they pulled it all back together, as they have so many times in tough road environments this remarkable season.

And then came the final possession, the ball in Trey Burke’s sure hands. He tried an off-balance shot that bounced off the back of the rim. Morgan was there for the put-back, but it was as if the ball was Super-Glued to the rim for hours before falling harmlessly off.

Pick your word: Resilience. Toughness. Passion. Togetherness.

Yes, there was all of that.

And some luck, too.

Ultimately, this was all about Zeller, who was the best player on the court and was altogether impossible to guard. For maybe the first time all season, he willed his team to a victory, looking very much like an NBA-ready player (not that we’re pushing him).

After the game, IU players gathered in a hallway while wearing their Big Ten championship hats. This time, they wore them with abject pride. Earlier this week, they made a strange team picture after that Ohio State game, wearing scowls under those hats. This time, the smiles were a mile wide as they took pictures and signed autographs.

Funny thing, the Big Ten championship trophy was in the Crisler Center, just in case Michigan won and earned a share of the title. Instead, IU could look at it again and know it was all theirs and theirs alone.

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Meanwhile, an ebullient and emotional Crean couldn’t stop talking about his team, what they’ve been through, how they took the hardest road imaginable to a Big Ten title. Near the end of his press conference, he was actually soliciting questions.

“C’mon, I know you have a question,’’ he said to a reporter. “Ask me a question.’’

He was flying higher than Victor Oladipo on a put-back dunk.

There were some reasonable questions about IU’s physicality and toughness after losses at Minnesota and at home to Ohio State. There were none Sunday. The Hoosiers out-rebounded Michigan an astounding 52-30. They had 24 offensive rebounds, a ridiculous number when you realize Michigan only had 27 field goals.

It’s been 20 years since Indiana could celebrate something like this.

A long time.

Check that: A loooong time.

All the way back when Calbert Cheaney, who was celebrating with the team in IU’s locker room, had a full head of hair.